Misty's Regret
by C War
Summary: Time has passed, and friends have drifted apart. What happens when they meet again?


Things went well at first. Even though they had parted paths, they still called, they still wrote. But over the years, the calls ended, the letters became fewer and fewer, until they barely heard from one another. This story takes place many, many years later…

Ash: 30

Misty: 30

Brock: 35

Chris: 5

Chris is my character, the others all belong to Nintendo, I think, or maybe 4kids. But they're not mine.

Misty: ah, Corsola. I guess my sisters were right, I am just gonna be an old maid.

Brock: Don't say that, Misty.

Misty: Brock? When did you get here?

Brock: Just barely. So, how's it going?

Misty: Oh, you know. Lonely and boring. Where are we going again?

Brock: Professor Oak is throwing a big party for his 75th birthday.

Misty: Oh, right. It seems so long since I've been to Pallet Town. Well, let's get going. Where's your wife?

Brock: Bedrest. With that baby on the way, Roxanne really can't get up and out much. So I'm not going to be there long. My sisters are there with her, but…

Misty: I understand.

later, at Oak's lab

Misty: Wow, what a party! How many people are here?

Brock: Probably most of the people Professor Oak knows. I've seen professors Elm, Birch, and Ivy here, and most of the gym leaders. There's Bill, Mr. Fuji, and the Elite Four to boot.

Dalia: I know! It's more like a celebrity gathering!

Misty: Mrs.…Ketchum?

Dalia: Hello, dears. Brock, it's been far too long. And Misty, even longer. After you stopped passing letters along through me, I never heard from you.

Misty: Yeah, Sorry about that. I-is Ash here?

Brock tried to give Dalia a silent signal, but she didn't catch on.

Dalia: He's around somewhere. I haven't seen him since he got here.

Misty: Oh, well, thanks.

As she slowly made her way through the crowd, Misty saw him. If Pikachu wasn't on his shoulder, she might not have recognized him, but that sentinel marked him clear as a nametag.

Misty: Ash? Is that you?

Ash turned around at the sound of his name. Pikachu jumped from his shoulder and ran over to Misty.

Ash: Misty? How long has it been?

Misty: Nearly fifteen years, I'm sad to say.

Ash: why did you stop returning my letters?

Misty: I, I don't know. I started dating other guys, we had grown more distant…I should have kept writing. So, how is being the League Champion treating you?

Ash: Heh, I think I got in a little over my head with it. Did I tell you that I'm now a teacher at the Pokemon Academy?

Misty: No, I never heard. Guess you needed some form of income.

Ash: Heh, the kids all love my battle training courses. Which I usually teach by using their Pokemon against others in the class, showing them alternate ways to have their Pokemon attack and such.

Misty: Heh, you always were a good example. So, uh, what else is going on?

Before Ash could answer, a little boy with a Pichu on his shoulder ran up.

Chris: Daaad! Let's do something! I'm bored!

Misty: _Dad?!?_

Ash: yeah, Mist, this is my son, Chris.

Chris: Who's this?

Ash: This is my old friend Misty, leader of the Cerulean Gym. You talk to your friend, I'll play with Pikachu.

Pikachu: Pika! excited

As Chris ran off with Pikachu and Pichu, Ash and Misty found a place to sit and talk.

Misty: I guess I shouldn't be surprised, now that I think about it. I remember finding the wedding invitation after getting back from my trip to Hoenn. So, how's May?

Ash fell silent, and Misty knew that she'd said something wrong, though she didn't know what.

Ash: She's…gone. We got into a car crash two years ago, we were hit from the side by a drunk running from the police…

Misty: Oh, Ash, I'm sorry. I didn't know.

Ash: It's…alright. I didn't expect you to. When you didn't come to the wedding, I figured that you didn't care anymore, so I stopped writing to you.

Misty: So, how's everything else? Your son, Chris, how old is he now?

Ash: He's five, Pichu is four. He hatched on Chris's first birthday. Pikachu was so proud.

Misty: Wait, Pikachu…is that his son?

Ash: Yes. May caught a Raichu about seven years ago, and that's their son.

Misty: You miss her, don't you.

Ash: Of course. But I've missed you, too.

Misty: Really?

Ash: Of course I did. But when it seemed you didn't want to hear from me, I stopped writing as much.

Misty: I…tried to move on. I dated other guys, but it never worked out. Tracy was fun, sort of, but things were always a little awkward between us. After we broke up, I went out with Brock, once, but that was even more awkward. And then he started dating Roxanne.

Ash: They make a good couple. Hehe, look.

Ash pointed to the sky, where Brock was flying overhead on his Crobat. They both waved up at him, and he waved at them before flying north.

Misty: Probably going to go help her out. She's on bedrest with her baby.

Ash: I heard. I'm frankly surprised that he came.

Misty: I think he came because of me. I've been kinda down lately, so he kinda dragged me here.

Ash: Hey, Misty…

Misty: yeah?

Ash: you want to get together tomorrow night?

Misty: What?

Ash: I've been lingering in the past long enough, or perhaps not far enough in the past. You were my first love, Misty, though I never told you. Looking back, I should have, but…

Misty: Oh, Ash…starts to cry…you have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that! I stopped writing back because it seemed like you never would, and it was too hard to feel like it was a one-way love.

Ash: I'm sorry, Mist.

two months later

Daisy: So, it finally happened.

Violet: When we heard he was getting married to Norman's daughter, we figured you were done for.

Misty: gee, thanks. Sheesh, you three were almost as old before you finally settled down!

Lily: Hehe, you got us there. And you'll be the first of us with a kid, too.

Misty: Yeah, because you're all afraid to have them!

Violet: Geez, Misty, calm down.

Misty: Sorry. Wedding day nerves.

Daisy: Well, it's time.

Lily: Just keep your cool and you'll be fine, sis.

Misty walked out of the bride's room and into the chapel. There at the front was Ash, with Chris standing near him as the ringbearer. She covertly pinched herself to prove that it wasn't a dream, and then slowly walked down the aisle, a smile on her face only partly hidden by her veil. Brock sat with Roxanne, who was holding their sleeping baby in her arms.

Brock: Hehe, they pulled it off. I thought that their relationship was over, but it worked out after all.

Roxanne: Shush, honey.

however long later

Reverend: You may now kiss the bride.

Ash leaned in and kissed Misty. The romantic moment was only compromised by Chris making sounds of disgust from behind him, but he didn't care. Brock and Roxanne had already agreed to watch him during their honeymoon. This old dream had finally come true, for both of them.


End file.
